


The Forest Clearing

by EndlessStairway



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cut Scene, Cut Scene from Tony's Thrall, Inspired by Loki/Tony Stark, M/M, Original Character(s), Original Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:09:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndlessStairway/pseuds/EndlessStairway
Summary: Some of you may know I'm working on creating an original fiction based on Tony's Thrall. This is a scene that was cut from that fic but I polished it up for my new characters, to give them a little outing.In Tony's Thrall, this scene took place after Loki was freed from slavery, and after Sindri of the Nidavallir had come to tell Tony that Loki had put the thrall collar on Otr. It's an alternative scene of them reuniting.I hope you like it, and I hope you like the new characters, any and all feedback is loved, I know it's harder to connect with OCs than with canon characters, so I thank you in advance for reading - you guys are amazing and without your support for my writing I would not even be considering writing an original story.





	The Forest Clearing

David had slightly more of a spring in his step after learning about Vell’s revenge on Otr. No longer a slave, Vell was out in the world, striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. David understood that impulse. He had done some cleansing by fire himself in the past. It was good for the soul.

Every day he expected to turn around and see Vell in the penthouse. Perhaps he would be lounging in the sunken living room, that sly smile on his face. Less appealing but still possible, he may be stalking toward David, daggers drawn. David could not forget that while he may not have been as bad as Otr, he still had taken his share of pleasure from Vell’s unwilling body. If Vell was out there delivering justice, perhaps David was on his list too. When days went by, and he didn’t show up, David began to worry. Only slightly. He had no right to expect Vell to ever come back to him, for revenge or for anything else.

David didn’t mind admitting that he missed Vell. He had written a note and left it on the bar where the daggers had been, but it had not been touched. He had gone back to sleeping in his bedroom, abandoning the workshop couch. He was no heartbroken teenager. He was a grown man, and he could sleep in the bed where he had cuddled with Vell without getting all moony about it.

One morning, David woke and wasn’t in his bed. Strange. He wasn’t too worried, wherever he was, he could smell fresh grass, flowers, the wintry smell of pine. He was warm, lying on soft furs. Sitting up, he saw he was in a forest clearing. Tall pines surrounded the clearing on all sides, their trunks blocking the light through the forest. Warm sunlight filtered down from above, sweet grass and alpine flowers covered the ground.

David looked around, still unnaturally calm. Almost as an afterthought, as if he had not been there a moment ago, he saw Vell, sitting cross-legged on the grass by his feet. He looked well. Better than well. His dark hair curled gently around his face, an easy smile on his face. He was wearing a high-necked wraparound tunic in dark green. Best of all, he was holding a steaming mug that smelled a lot like rich, dark coffee. David made grabby hands for it, and Vell passed it over. He took a sip. It sure tasted like coffee.

“Is this real?” David asked, gesturing around at Vell, the forest, himself. It did not seem like a dream, but it also didn’t seem quite real. David was aware of his unusual state of calm, but he put it aside to examine later.

Vell shrugged, “It’s real enough,” he said, and David almost shivered from hearing his voice again. “It’s an in-between place, half in the physical world, half in the crystal realm.”

David nodded. That made as much sense as anything.

“Are you OK?”

Vell smiled at him. A broad, genuine smile that made his eyes sparkle. “I am very well, David.”

“Mmm  _ David _ , I like that. I like the way you say it. Much better than  _ Master _ . I’m glad to see you. I missed you. So this is your hideout? I guess I expected more books.”

“This is a place to travel through, although I do spend time here on occasion. It is safe for me to be here. It is well protected.”

David nodded. He could understand Vell's need for safety, after what he had endured.

David took another swig of coffee and looked around. There was a small fire burning near the furs he was lying on, and a small supply tent with a chest and boxes stacked nearby. David did a double take when he noticed a sizeable black-eyed raven perched on top of the crates, looking down at him. The whole scene snapped into reality, the dreamlike quality faded to nothing. David felt a stirring of alarm as he smelled the smoke from the fire, felt the breeze on his face, the taste of coffee on his tongue. It was all too intense, too much! The raven spread its wings and cawed at him, and he jerked awake.

He was in his bed.

“Lively?” he said, taking slow, deliberate breaths.

The AI replied, her voice as calm and steady as ever, “It is 5.34am, on Tuesday, December 2nd. The temperature is 33 degrees. You have no appointments today.”

David lay back. OK, he was in the penthouse. He was OK. It was just a crazy dream. That’s all. Nothing more.

He got up to shower, turning the steam on to clear out his head. He mentally denied the forest clearing could be anything other than a dream until he walked out to the penthouse to make coffee. The note he had left on the bar was gone. In its place was a small cream envelope, with David written in green ink.

David approached it. It lay there on the bar, unmoving. “Liv, how did this get here?” There was a rather long pause, and Lively sounded slightly shamefaced.

“I am unsure, Sir. I reviewed my scans and footage of the penthouse, and it seems to have simply appeared this morning after you woke.”

David snorted. Magic. He picked up the envelope and popped it open. A square card was inside, again in green ink in an elegant hand.

_David, your conscious mind does not believe that you can exist in an unreal place. Ignore it. If the bird can do it, I am sure you can too._

__  


David grinned. That smartass little shit. Trying to make him jealous of a raven.

Time to set up scanners in the bedroom. No, he decided, it would be easier to sleep in the workshop. Back to that uncomfortable couch.

**

David was far too wired to fall asleep that night. He didn’t want to try his usual ‘large glass of whiskey’ method of helping him sleep. He didn't want to show up drunk in Vell’s hideout. That didn’t make any sense, but he didn’t feel right about it, so he didn’t do it. Sometime around 4am he finally dozed off on the workshop couch, surrounded by scanning equipment.

Again, he woke up lying on furs in the same forest clearing. He was a little more prepared this time, he didn’t feel that odd suppressed panic feeling. He looked around, and as before Vell seemed to appear as if he had always been there. David noticed that Vell had turned back one of the sleeves of his tunic, showing off his wrist and the gold bracelet he had on. David recognized it as one that he had given him.

Vell saw him looking and smiled. David had already seen Vell completely naked, but that one glimpse of his wrist made him bite his lip and stare. Maybe it was the contrast with the high necked tunic, the other sleeve down and half covering Vell’s hand. David suspected the glimpse of Vell's skin was his reward for returning to the clearing. He was both embarrassed at how easily aroused he was and impressed with Vell for manipulating him so effortlessly.

Vell's message was clear. Any interaction between them was going to be on his terms in the future, and David was completely fine with that.

David smiled and held out his hand for the coffee cup Vell was holding. "So, are you summoning me here, or can I come here whenever I want?"

Vell gave him the cup, prepared just the way he liked it. "I summoned you the first time, to show you the way. This time, I simply left the way open for you. You did the rest."

David nodded. They sat in comfortable silence for a time, the fire crackling between them. The raven that had startled David awake the night before was perched on the crates again, watching them with its glossy eyes.

David waved his fingers at it. “What’s the bird’s name?” He asked, intrigued that Vell had a pet.

Vell tipped his head, “I do not know her name, David," he said, as though explaining to a child.

David smiled at that, Vell's sardonic tone far more welcome that his previous forced subservience. He sipped the drink that Vell gave him. “You’re supposed to give her a name yourself,” he said.

Vell shook his head, “Ah David,” he said, “Did you never learn the dangers of naming any wild thing? Before you know it, you may tame them. And then you will never be rid of them.”

David took another sip of coffee, his golden brown eyes meeting the challenge in the vivid green eyes across the clearing.

“Is that so, Prince Vell?" he said.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this little scene, come to my [Tumblr](https://endlessstairway.tumblr.com/post/180227134116/the-thrall-price-progress-report-word-count)  
> for more snippets, and a free copy of the book on launch!


End file.
